It's actually the same chip that's in the iPhone 4, but the 4S beefs it up to a dual-core model - named SGX543 - lying within the A5 system-on-a-chip, in exactly the same way as the iPad 2.

The iPhone 4S isn't the only upcoming device to feature the chip, though. Sony's PlayStation Vita handheld also includes the processor - but in a quad, rather than dual-core flavour.

The chip is capable of delivering 35 million polygons per second. To put this in perspective, Nvidia's top of the range GTX 590 is capable of a whopping two billion triangles per second.

Of course, the Nvidia chip is designed to output to vast PC displays, whereas the most you'll get out of a handheld is a 1080p resolution on a connected screen - another new feature in the iPhone 4S.

In terms of the current generation of consoles, the iPhone 4S could be catching up. The Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 are capable of 500 million and 275 million polygons per second respectively - not far off the iPhone's figures.

Ninten-don't

The company that's likely to be most threatened by the iPhone 4S is Nintendo. US Nintendo president Reggie Fils-Aime admitted that the 3DS struggled to "drive momentum" and blamed it on a lack of decent games at launch, but the success of the iPhone as a gaming platform has to have a part to play in this.

CVG's deputy editor Andy Robinson told us that "4S is certainly laying down some serious credibility for the iPhone as a core gaming device. Not only is it now pushing out games that simply eclipse the 3DS visually, but features like cloud saving and TV streaming support are really exciting for gamers."

The other problems with the 3DS are two-fold. 3D may have been putting bums on seats (and money in studios' pockets) in cinemas, but it's yet to find a proper foothold in gaming. The 3DS also doesn't have the communication abilities of the iPhone - why take two devices out when you can take - and pay for - one?

This is where the PlayStation Vita comes in - and it's probably the biggest threat to the iPhone 4S as a gaming device.

Its attraction doesn't lie in its hardware, but its communication abilities. Like the iPad, it's going to come in two models, one with Wi-Fi and 3G, and one without.

Add to this the 5-inch touchscreen, touch-sensitive back and proper controls and you've got a killer gaming device - complete with social network apps. And although it doesn't include the ability to make calls or send texts natively, a Skype app enables this functionality.

The PlayStation Vita is due to launch in Japan on 17 December - a couple of months after the iPhone 4S is unleashed.

It will be far cheaper, too, coming in at around £235, compared to the 4S' £600-plus contract deals.

The iPhone's other big challenger is Android. We've already seen dual-core Tegra Android phones such as the LG Optimus 2X, and they sport fairly meaty graphics capability.

Ports of iPhone games are fast filling up the Android Marketplace, too, with some graphically advanced titles - such as Racing Moto - being released on Android first.